Terrazzo flooring



July 5, 1927. v 1,634,653

' B. 0. A. DE PAOL] TERRAZ'ZO FLOORING Filed Oct. 17. 1921 a l w wENToR 'i ATTORNEYS I Patented July 5, 1 927.

. UNIT nature 0. A. ns rAoLI, or PALISADE, NEW JERSEY.

'rmmazzo rnoonmef Application iled October 17,1921. Seria1No. 508,803.

This invention relates to terrazzo flooring. The object of the invention is to provide a .construction of terrazzo or crushed marble flooring which is simple, efficient and economical.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flooring of the character referred to wherein provision is made for avoiding cracks or openings resulting from expansion 10 and contraction of the flooring composition, or the floor supporting or other-parts of the building in which the flooring is employed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flooring of the character referred to wherein expansion joints are, provided in the flooring composition in the wearing sur- -face of the floor, and the .adjacent edges 0 the joint are efficiently protected against spalling or other injury.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location, andrelative arrangement of parts, all as w1ll be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawin and finally pointed out in the appende claims.

Referring to the accompanying draw- Fig. 1 is a view partly in perspective, parts broken off, showing a terrazzo flooring constructed in accordance with the princ'rples of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a broken view showing employed for protecting the edges of the sections of the flooring at a joint therein, said in perspective strips being shown separated from each p other.

Fig. 3 is a broken view in top plan showing a portion of a pair of joint protecting strips applied together in position for use. i Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are broken detail views in side elevation showing various arrangements 4 and forms of anchoring devices for the 'oint protecting strips employed in accor ance with my invention. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the manner of forming the protecting strips em- W ployed in connection with my invention.

It is at present a common practice in laying terrazzo floors to employ a foundation layer of suitable material or composition which is placed upon the floor supporting girders or beams of the building. This cement in suitable proportions.

"the le forms of joint protecting strips are irregular in shape foundation'material is commonl composed of amixture of cement and cin ers in suitable proportions. In practice, a composition'consistin'g of onepart of cement to six of cinders has been found suitable. This foundation layer or composition is applied to the floor supports to any desired depth or thickness. according to the requirements. In practice, this depth or thickness may run from five or less inches to ten or more, as may be desired. Upon the foundation composition layer is then imposed a layer of material called the levelling or'scratch coat, which, ordinarily, is composed of sand and A sand and cement composition consisting ofone part of f cement to three or' four parts of sand has been found satisfactory for use as a levelling or scratch coat. This layer of composition may vary in'thickness, and ordinarily a 7 thickness of three-quarters of an inch is found satisfactory. .The purpose of the levellin coat or layer is to attain andfix the desired standard of level of the surface uent of this terrazzo composition, which is mg or scratch coat a layer of grit expengigfi, it is customary to first place upon and cement in the proportion of'one part of cement to two or three parts of grit, more or less, and upon this filling layer the .90 crushed marble or terrazzo and cement composition, ordinarily in the proportion of one art of cement to two of the crushed marble 1s placed, and to the desired depth or thickness. according to requirements.

Floors constructed in this manner are subjected to the strains and stresses due to expansion and contraction of the various compositions employed as well as to the expansion and contraction of "the steel framework of the floor supports or of the building, and such expansion and contraction frequently causes 'the'composition flooring to crack, and ordinarily when cracks or crevices develop in the surface of the flooring they 105 and in line of cleavage of the floor surface. It is a difiicult and exensive matter to repair such acrack when 1t develops, and b reason of the irregularity of outline and 0 direction of trend there- 11 pfghe floor when finished. Upon the level- 80 i 1n of, a repaired crack or crevice leaves an unsightly patchwork appearance howevencarefully the repair may be effected.

It' has been attempted to overcome this ob filled separately, alternate panels in adjacent rows being filled successively and left xto become set or hardened, usually for a days time, and then the panel strips are removed and the alternate intermediate panel areas are then filled. This method is expensive and slow, and moreover, in case of expansion and contraction above referred to, the seams left by the panel strips between adjacent rows of panels or between adjacent panels, tend to separate from each other, and too, the edges of the panels at the seam become broken off or spalled, leaving a rough irregular line of opening between adjacent panels which is unsightly and unsatisfactory, and when such seams open up or spall ofl' sufficiently to require repair by grouting or otherwise, it leaves an unsightly irregular patchwork appearance, which is exceedingly objectionable.

It has'also been proposed to employmetal strips which are imbedded into the floor composition at the time it is laid in order to form 'a permanent metallic retaining wall for the edges of adjacent panels of the floor, thereby forming expansion joints along which may follow any crack which might be developed in case of contraction or expanslon.

According to such practice however, it is usual to employ a single strip between adjacent panels or for each expansion joint. This, however, does not overcome the objections above noted, for the reason that in case the joint should open up the strip will remain in contact with the surface ad acent one panel, and leave a space'between the strip and the adjacent wall or surfaceof the crack of the other panel, thereby rendering the separated wall liable to 'spalling or cracking off along its unprotected edge.

It is among the special purposes of my invention to provide a structure and arrangement of protecting strips which overcomes the objections above noted, and which will afford protection for the approximate edges of bot-h adjacent panels on opposite sides of a seam or joint. I have found that in providing the protecting strips of the nature and character suggested that it is necessary not only to efliciently anchor the same in the composition body composing the floor structure, but also that it is necessary to anchor and support each strip with particular reference not only to the floor composition as a whole, but with reference to the portion or panel of floor surface which each strip is designed to protect 'against injury at a joint. To accomplish this, in carrying out my invention, generally stated, I propose to employ at each joint a pair of strips having laterally extending base flanges to anchor them in the flooring composition, and having vertical web portions lying fiatwise against each other and extending to the flooring surface, to afford protection against spalling or breaking off of the edges of the floor paneling at the joints thereby formed therein, and, in addition, I provide each protecting strip with lugs or tongues pressed outof the vertically extending web portion of each strip to form anchoring or supporting means within the body of the flooring composition or the panel portion thereof, which said strip is to protect at the edge of the joint. In this manner I not only primarily anchor each strip within the body of the composition of the flooring, but I also efficiently anchor each strip in the body of the particular panel, the edge of Which is to be protected thereby, thus insuring against the danger of the protecting strip becoming displaced away from the edge or surface of the joint to be protected thereby.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown various arrangements embodying the principles of my invention. Referring particularly to Fig. 1, I have illustrated a terrazzo flooring arrangement of suitable flooring compositions such as are commonly employed consisting of a base material 12, upon which a levelling coat, or scratch coat, 01' layer, is placed. 14 designates the filler layer of composition material which is placed upon the levelling coat l3, and 15 designates the terrazzo composition which constitutes the top layer of the composition flooring, and contains the expensive crushed marble particles to form the wearing surface, together with the surface appearance of the finished floor. As above indicated, in laying the composition flooring, the base composition 12 is first laid down, and then the levelling or scratch coat 13 is applied thereto, and is levelled 0H and left to harden. Before applying the layer of filler material or composition 14 the metal strips to form joints and protectors for the edges of the resulting panels or portions of the surface layers of composition are positioned in place upon the surface of the scratch coator levelling coat. This is a convenient arrangenient and manner of application of the strips, but in its broadest scope my invention is not to be limited in this respect. After the plates are positioned in place the filler layer 14 is applied and then the surface layer of terrazzo composition 15 is finally applied, and the entire flooring surface is then ground or smoothed ofli' to complete the work to finish the floor; In accordance with my invention I provide at each joint a pair of strips indicated generally at 16, 17, in Figs. 1 and 2. Each strip is formed with a laterally extending flange 18 at its lower edge, and with a vertically extending web portion 19. In assembling the strips in place the vertical web portions 19 thereof are placed flatwise against each other while the laterally extending flanges 18 project in opposite directions away from each other. In practice, the laterally extending base flanges 18 constitute anchorages for the strips, these flanges being embedded within the body of the composition of the flooring. \Vhere the strips are positioned in place upon the surface of the scratch coat or levelling coat 13, said flanges rest upon said surface and become anchored thereto by the application-of the filler layer 14 and the terrazzo layer 15 of the flooring composition. The upper edges of the vertical web portions 19 of the strips extend to the wearing surface of the terrazzo flooring layer 15, and hence not only form expansion joints between adjacent panels or portions of the flooring composition to accommodate any expansion or contraction in the composition -or in the floor supporting structure or of the building structure in which the flooring is placed, but also protecting the edges of the joint between such adj acent panels or portions of the flooring composition, each strip forming an edge protector for the respective approximate walls and edges of the adjacent panel portions of the flooring. It is also clear that these strips form guides to correctly determine the depth of the terrazzo flooring.- In order to firm] anchor the vertical web portion of eac strip with reference to the panel or portion of the floor surface, which said strip is designed to protect at the expansion joint, I propose to provide each strip with suitable tongues or projections pressed out from the web portions of the strip so'as to become imbedded in the composition of the wall at the point at which it is to be protected.

These auxiliary anchorage lips or projecting portions are indicated at 20, "and are formed by suitably slittingthe vertical web portions of the strips, and then pressing or bending outwardly away from the planes of such web portions the resulting tongues. These tongues may be of any suitable or desired shape or outline, and in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 I have shown various outlines or configurations which may be employed. In practice, the anchoring ton ues 20 formed in the web portion of strip 1 are in staggered or alternate relation with respect to the tongues 20 formed in the adjacent and cooperating strip 16. I also prefer ,to form the slits for producing the tongues in the direction of the general longitudinal dimension or length of the strips. These tongues may be thereof, and hence it will be seen that the anchoring tongues of each strip will become imbedded within the body of the composition forming the panel or portion of the floor to the wall of the joint of which the vertical web portion of the strip is applied, and hence when the joint between the two protecting strips or between adjacent panels or portions of the flooring opens up under the action of expansion or contraction each wall and edge of the joint will retain its own.

protecting strip, and said edges will be protected against the danger of spalling or of breaking off of particles of the terrazzo flooring composition. -Thus I am enabled .to avoid the danger of injuring or-disfiguring the symmetrical paneled effect of the floor surface through unsightly cracks or seams or through spalling or breaking off of the edges, one or the other, or both, of adjacent portions of the floor surface at the joints, each protecting strip being firmly anchored not only to the base composition of the flooring, but also to the panel portion which is to be protected thereby, and each strip isv held to its anchorage against the danger of being separated therefrom. In practice I prefer to initially form the two strips in one piece with each other as indicated in Fig. 7 by uitably bending a sheet of metal into loop hape to form the base structure is then positioned in place as above described, and the flooring composition layers applied as above set forth. In the operation of smoothing off the wearing surface of the floor the connecting portion 22 between the strips is ground off, leaving the two strips separated and independent of each other. This insures the efficient and proper positioning or anchoring of the compoundstrip before the two portions thereof are separated from each other, and avoids the necessity for separately handling two different strips in positioning and anchoring the same.

Having now set forth the objectsand nature of my invention, and a structure embodying the principles thereof, what I claim as newand useful and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. In a terrazzo flooring construction provided with a base composition upon which the terrazzo flooring composition is spread metal strips or plates having vertically extending Web portions disposed flatwise against each other and having laterally extending anchoring flanges at their lower portions, said anchoring flanges extending in opposite directions away from each other, the

vertically extending web portionsof said strips having tongues pressed out therefrom, the tongues of one strip being in longitudinal staggered relation with respect to the tongues of the other strip, said strips being placed on said base composition and acting as a depth guide for the terrazzo flooring composition. a

2. In a terrazzo flooring construction provided with a base composition upon which the terrazzo flooring composition is spread metal strips or plates having vertically extending web portions disposed flatwise against each other and having laterally extending anchoring flanges at their lower portions, said anchoring flanges extending in opposrte directions away from each other,

the vertically extending web portions of" said strips having tongues pressed out therefrom, at points remote from the edges of the strips, the tongues of one strip being in longitudinal staggered relation with respect to BRUNO O. A. DE PAOLI. 

